Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Following Major Disturbances

• Released
  22:27 BST on October 19, 2025

The domestic football league local clash featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned prior to commencement on the weekend, after what authorities described as "public disorder and serious disturbances".

"Many of smoke bombs and flares were set off," law enforcement stated on online platforms, emphasizing "this isn't a match, it constitutes chaos and major hostilities".

A dozen civilians and three officers were harmed, police said, while several individuals were arrested and 16 held for interrogation.

The unrest happen just a short time after authorities in the United Kingdom stated that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans should not be allowed to be present at the European competition match at the Birmingham team in the UK the following month because of safety concerns.

The local club condemned the match postponement, claiming Israeli police of "getting ready for a battle, not a sporting event", including during talks in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited match.

"The disturbing situations around the arena and after the ill-considered and outrageous ruling to abandon the game only show that the law enforcement has seized authority in the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.

Maccabi Tel Aviv has remained silent, except to confirm the fixture was abandoned.

The decision by security authorities to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match on November 6 has provoked extensive disapproval.

The UK government has since said it is seeking to cancel the ban and exploring what additional resources might be required to guarantee the fixture can be hosted safely.

Villa notified their security personnel that they were not required to attend at the match, saying they recognized that some "might feel uneasy".

On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police stated it supported the prohibition and categorized the match as "potentially dangerous" due to reports and earlier occurrences.

That included "serious fights and hate-crime offences" between the Dutch team and followers prior to a fixture in the Netherlands in November 2024, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody.

There have been rallies at various sporting events over the conflict in Gaza, such as when Israel played the Scandinavian team and Italy in recent football World Cup qualifiers.

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